Ricky Yiu launches a three-pronged attack in the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin on Sunday, 8 December and Yiu believed all his three runners will go close.
Since Fairy King Prawn’s victory in the inaugural Hong Kong Sprint, Yiu has added two more Hong Kong Sprint wins to his tally with Sacred Kingdom in 2007 and 2009. This year, he will saddle Voyage Bubble in the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and Straight Arron and Nimble Nimbus in the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
Among his trio this year, Yiu makes it no secret Voyage Bubble will be the major contender in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. The last start winner of the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m), Voyage Bubble had a turf gallop last Thursday (28 Nov) under big race jockey James McDonald, clocking 29.9s, 30.4s and 23.1s over 1200m leaving Yiu very pleased with the work.
Yiu said: “Voyage Bubble is currently in great form and McDonald also knows the horse very well. The horse is still improving and his form is as good as last year when he was just beaten by Golden Sixty in last year’s race.
“He is a versatile type of horse, very smart, he can go to the front or settle behind, in whatever position. I believed he will run a good race this Sunday. Another Hong Kong runner Galaxy Patch and Soul Rush from Japan will be the major rivals.
“My other two runners, Straight Arron and Nimble Nimbus, are both in top fitness and both of them are tough and have strong fighting hearts, and hopefully they can go close on the big day. Indeed they both ran well in the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup last start.”
Straight Arron will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla and Nimble Nimbus will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni on Sunday.
“I also think the team of Hong Kong, China had good chances in three of the four HKIR G1 races this year, namely the Cup, the Mile and the Sprint race, while overseas runners are very strong in the Vase race,” Yiu added.
